Wayne Morris

Biography

Wayne Morris  (February 17, 1914 – September 14, 1959), born Bert DeWayne Morris in Los Angeles, was an American film and television actor, as well as a decorated World War II fighter ace. He appeared in many notable films, including Paths of Glory (1957), The Bushwackers (1952) and the title role of Kid Galahad in 1937. While filming Flight Angels (1940), Morris became interested in flying and became a pilot. With war in the wind, he joined the Naval Reserve and became a Navy flier in 1942, leaving his film career behind for the duration of the war. Flying the F6F Hellcat off the aircraft carrier USS Essex, Morris shot down seven Japanese planes and contributed to the sinking of five ships. He was awarded four Distinguished Flying Crosses and two Air Medals. Morris was considered by the Navy as physically 'too big' to fly fighters. After being turned down several times as a fighter pilot, he went to his brother in law, Cdr. David McCampbell, imploring him for the chance to fly fighters. Cdr. McCampbell said "Give me a letter." He flew with the VF-15, the famed "McCampbell Heroes." He married Patricia O'Rourke, an Olympic swimmer, and sister to B-movie actress Peggy Stewart. Following the war, Morris returned to films, but his nearly four-year absence had cost him his burgeoning stardom. He continued to act in movies, but the pictures, for the most part, sank in quality. Losing his boyish looks but not demeanor, Morris spent most of the fifties in low-budget westerns. He made an unusual career move in 1957, making his Broadway debut as a washed-up boxing champ in William Saroyan's The Cave Dwellers. He also appeared as a weakling in Stanley Kubrick's Paths of Glory (1957). Morris suffered a massive heart attack while visiting aboard the aircraft carrier USS Bon Homme Richard in San Francisco Bay and was pronounced dead after being transported to Oakland Naval Hospital in Oakland, California. He was 45. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Description above from the Wikipedia article Wayne Morris (American actor), licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia

Known For

Lt. Roget/Singing man

Paths of Glory

Walter Wichita Garrett

The Return of Doctor X

Dave Joslin

The House Across the Street

Commando Munson

Plunder Road

Spectator (uncredited)

Polo Joe

McKinney

Task Force

Jeff Barker

Deep Valley

Gary Holden

The Green Buddha

Dane Cory

Johnny One-Eye

Ward 'Kid Galahad' Guisenberry

Kid Galahad

Stephen Wayne

Double Alibi

Alexander "Lucky" Downing

The Smiling Ghost

Tom

The Time of Your Life

Jimmy Hall

Men Are Such Fools

Artie Dixon

Flight Angels

Homer Baston

The Kid from Kokomo

Dallas

Under Southern Stars

Cole Younger

The Younger Brothers

Tom Cassidy

I Wanted Wings

Deputy Sheriff Tub Murphy

Riding Shotgun

Billy Randolph

Brother Rat

"Sock" McGillis

Submarine D-1

Comm. Ned Burling

The Voice of the Turtle

Bob Younger

Bad Men of Missouri

Himself (uncredited)

So You Want to Be in Pictures

Jim Carter

Gambling on the High Seas

Kenny Blake

The Big Gusher

Bill Cardigan

Valley of the Giants

Bruce Arnold

A Kiss in the Dark

Barney Broderick

Stage to Tucson

Dave Seymour

Land Beyond the Law

Bill "Jumbo" Mullins

King of Hockey

Jeff Wood

Lord of the Jungle

Corey Lake

Ladies Must Live

Ted Painter

Love, Honor and Behave

Chris Thorgenson

The Big Punch

Jimmy Baxter

The Gelignite Gang

Billy Randolph

Brother Rat and a Baby

Mike Wien

Arctic Flight

Mike Donovan

Yellow Fin

Lt. Victor O'Leary

John Loves Mary

Wayne Morris

Out Where the Stars Begin

Bill

Here Comes Carter

Johnny Yorke

Sierra Passage

Deputy Marshal Jim Burke

Fighting Lawman

Charley Patterson

Three Sons o' Guns

Bill Shaw

The Tougher They Come

Ford Smith

Desert Pursuit

Mike Conlin

The Crooked Sky

Deputy Jim Blake

Two Guns and a Badge

Walt

Texas Bad Man

Major Thomas Brent

The Master Plan

Railroad Information Clerk (uncredited)

Smart Blonde

Sailor on Nirvana

Once a Doctor

Sam Garrett

The Desperado

Rush Conway

The Kid Comes Back

Jimmy Jones and Billy Jones

The Quarterback

Mac McClure

An Angel from Texas

Dandy Dayton

The Lonesome Trail

Marshal John Harding

The Bushwhackers

Deputy Marshal Mike Martin

The Marksman

Self

Blow-Ups of 1947

Texas Ranger Ed Ryan / Robert Larkin

Star of Texas

Roche

Buffalo Gun

Self

Breakdowns of 1949

Stanley Povich

Port of Hell

Self

Screen Snapshots (Series 16, No. 1)

Navigator on Clipper

China Clipper

Tex Parker

Cross Channel